Homelessness is a problem that has been growing worse over the years. The situation is especially painful to those who are school age and must face the day without a shower or clean clothes. A high school in Salt Lake City, Utah, decided to tackle the problem by using a budget surplus to install washers, dryers and showers.
The facilities are available to the 100 students at East High School who identify as homeless or who otherwise have no access to laundry or shower facilities. Greg Maughan, the principal at East, said everyone has the right to clean clothes and basic hygiene. He added that some students had been coming to the school on Saturdays and using the laundry machines in the drama department, hiding in a nearby shop until their clothes were done.
Maughan wanted the students to fit in because that is the foundation for success. He went to the school board and requested that a budget surplus be used to install the machines and showers. He not only got his wish but was also surprised with a food donation effort that feeds students who are not getting regular meals.
Carol Lear, a mother to an East High student, said she is impressed with the way the school has gone the extra mile for disadvantaged kids. She credited the administration for recognizing the problem and taking immediate action.